BREEZES OK THE AMAZOX. 
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The insalubrity of the climate would be the same on the 
Woody banks of the Amazon, if that river, running like the 
Niger from west to east, did not follow in its immense 
length the same direction, which is that of the trade-winds. 
The valley of the Amazon i» closed only at its western 
extremity, where it approaches the Cordilleras of the Andes. 
Towards the east, where the sea-breeze strikes the New 
Continent, the shore is raised but a few feet above the level 
of the Atlantic. The Upper Orinoco first runs from cast to 
west, and then from north to south. Where its course, is 
nearly parallel to that of the Amazon, a very hilly country 
(the group of the mountains of Parirna and of Dutch and 
French Guiana) separates it from the Atlantic, and prevents 
the wind of rotation from reaching Esmeralda. This wind 
begins to be powerfully felt only from the confluence of the 
A pure, where the Lower Orinoco runs from west to east in 
a vast plain open towards the Atlantic, and therefore the 
climate of this part of the river is less noxious than that of 
the Upper Orinoco. 
In order to add a third point of comparison, I may 
mention the valley of the Eio Magdalena, which, like the 
Amazon, has one direction only, but unfortunately, instead 
°f being that of the breeze, it is from south to north. 
Situated in the region of the trade-winds, the Eio Magda- 
lena has the stagnant air of the Upper Orinoco. Erom the 
canal of Mahates as far as Honda, particularly south of the 
town of Mompox, we never felt the wind blow but at tbe 
a Pproaeh of the evening storms. When, on the contrary, 
you proceed up the river beyond Honda, you find tbe at- 
mosphere often agitated. The strong winds that are in- 
gulfed in the valley of Neiva are noted for their excessive 
heat. We may be at first surprised to perceive that the 
°alm ceases as we approach the lofty mountains in the 
upper course of tho river, but this astonishment ends when 
'' ' ‘ recollect that the dry and burning winds of tbe Llanos 
Neiva are the effect of descending currents. The 
columns of cold air rush from the top of the Nevados of 
Njuindiu and of Guanaeas into tbe valley, driving before 
mem tbe lower strata of the atmosphere. Everywhere the 
^equa] beating of the soil, and the proximity of mountains 
covered with perpetual snow, cause partial currents within 
